Noodle Nirvana

A NYC transplant brings classic Asian fare to Putnam County

“Flawless,” New York magazine once called Marnie’s Noodle Shop in Manhattan’s West Village. And after it closed in 1998, devoted fans could be found lamenting the loss on Chowhound. “Is the old Marnie’s Noodle Shop reopened anywhere?” wrote one zealot in 2001. “I am jonesing bad for the Singapore noodle dish they had.” Flash-forward almost 10 years and the new Marnie’s has finally appeared; lucky for us, it is now in Putnam Valley. Marnie’s Asian Kitchen is a “much nicer space,” says proprietor Marnie Henricksson, who describes the 19-seat, 1,200-square-foot eatery as “country comfortable. But the centerpiece is a curved wooden counter, and there I am, cooking right behind it.” The self-taught chef, who now lives in a lakeside community a mile from the restaurant, whips up “my version of classic Asian dishes,” including a light and tangy take on Pad Thai, Salmon in Indian Curry and Thai Beef Salad. “There is nothing weird on the menu,” she says. “It’s a small menu, but I can keep it fresh that way.” Some of the authentic Asian ingredients are even sold at the restaurant. And while Henricksson can’t count on foot traffic (the eatery is just 200 yards off the northbound side of the Taconic State Parkway), “I hope to pick up some dinner traffic from commuters coming home.”